Blackout Cake

The renowned (now closed) Ebinger's Bakery of Brooklyn made this locally famous devil's food cake for many years. Our version is heaven for chocolate lovers: rich chocolate cake layered with chocolate pudding and covered with chocolate cake crumbs.

Total Time: 1:25

Prep: 1:00

Cook: 0:25

Level:
Moderate

Yield:
16 servings

Serves:
16

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Ingredients

Chocolate Pudding:

2 tbsp. margarine or butter

3 oz. semisweet chocolate

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

0.67 c. sugar

6 tbsp. cornstarch

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

2.25 c. whole milk

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Cake:

0.67 c. unsweetened cocoa

1.50 c. all-purpose flour

1.50 tsp. baking powder

0.50 tsp. baking soda

0.25 tsp. salt

0.75 c. whole milk

1.50 tsp. vanilla extract

1.50 c. sugar

0.75 c. margarine or butter

3 large eggs

Directions

Prepare Chocolate Pudding: in 1-quart saucepan, heat margarine with both chocolates over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring frequently; set aside.

In 3-quart saucepan, with wire whisk, stir sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa until combined. Gradually mix in milk until combined. Gradually mix in milk until blended (mixture will not be smooth). Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute, stirring.

In small bowl, with wire whisk, beat eggs slightly. Whisk small amount of hot milk mixture into eggs until smooth. Gradually pour egg mixture back into milk mixture in saucepan, stirring rapidly to prevent lumping. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until very thick.

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar with margarine until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture; beat until batter is smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Pour batter into pans, and spread evenly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers of cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Run small metal spatula around side of pans to loosen cakes; invert cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.

To assemble cake: With serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half to make 4 layers in all. With knife, trim about 1/4 inch off side of cakes to make crumbs for decorating. With hand, crumble cake trimmings into small bowl (you should have about 1 1/2 cup crumbs).

Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. With wire whisk, gently stir cooled pudding in bowl to loosen slightly for easier spreading. Spread 2/3 cup pudding over layer. Repeat with remaining three layers, using 2/3 cup pudding on each layer, ending with pudding. Use remaining pudding to lightly frost side of cake. Sprinkle some reserved cake crumbs on top of cake; press remaining crumbs onto pudding on side of cake. If not serving cake after 1 hour, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.